Sue always had a smile plastered across her face, one that would light up a room like a lighthouse on a foggy day, a smile that only grew larger upon the discovery of a box on her front porch. The box was made of cardboard, ragged and worn. It was slightly larger than a shoe box. 

Sue walked forward and leaned down to pick up the box, to her surprise it moved a little. The rustling in the box continued, and her hands hurriedly found the tape sealing the box shut. Her untrimmed nails easily parted the tape from the box freeing its occupant. A small golden ball of fur rushed against the side of its tiny cardboard prison, tipping the box in its rush to freedom. A little golden retriever, no larger than a childs football. Sue picked the wiggling puppy up from the box. Her lips stretched into a smile once more as she twirled in excitement with her new pet. Tears began to well in her eyes. She twirled one more time, arms outstretched with her new puppy, accidentally colliding with the railing. The railing, old and weather worn from withstanding years of sun and storms gave way. 

Sue began to fall and the ground rushed up to meet her, swallowing her and her puppy whole. Sue screamed, piercing the darkness of the earth around her as she fell.

 “What’s wrong Sue? What's wrong?” The words echoed in her mind. 

Sue’s eyes opened to the white walls of the psych ward and a small mirror behind some putsy glass stared back at her with a reflection. An old woman, white hair with wrinkled skin and confused brown eyes stared back. The confused eyes soon welled with tears, another fantasy, another dream. A nurse rushed into the room with a cart chalked full of medical equipment. Sue screamed again, her frustration and sadness overflowing; however, her screams soon faded to silence. 

She stared blankly at the wall as the nurse's needle pierced the skin of her arm. Her escape from reality was over for now